Grateful Dead Live at Charlotte Coliseum on 1995-03-23
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- Publication date
- 1995-03-23 ( check for other copies)
- Topics
- Live concert
- Collection
- GratefulDead
- Band/Artist
- Grateful Dead
- Resource
- DeadLists Project
- Item Size
- 1.3G
Related Music question-dark
Versions - Different performances of the song by the same artist
Compilations - Other albums which feature this performance of the song
Covers - Performances of a song with the same name by different artists
Song Title | Versions | Compilations | Covers |
---|---|---|---|
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo | |||
Wang Dang Doodle | |||
Cold Rain And Snow | |||
El Paso | |||
Loser | |||
Easy Answers | |||
So Many Roads | |||
Unbroken Chain | |||
Scarlet Begonias -> | |||
Fire On The Mountain -> | |||
Corrina -> | |||
Matilda -> | |||
Jam -> | |||
Drums -> | |||
Space -> | |||
The Days Between -> | |||
Good Lovin' | |||
Crowd/Tuning | |||
The Weight |
Notes
Recording Info: Set 1: SBD -> Dat -> Cassette Master -> Dat (44.1k) Set 2: SBD -> Dat (44.1k) Transfer Info: Dat (Sony R500) -> SEK'D Prodif Plus -> Samplitude v7.02 Professional -> FLAC
(3 Discs Audio / 2 Discs FLAC)
Bruce Hornsby on grand piano for entire show.
- Access-restricted-item
- true
- Addeddate
- 2004-08-17 10:02:58
- Discs
- 0
- Has_mp3
- 1
- Identifier
- gd95-03-23.sbd.miller.25273.sbeok.flacf
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- Shndiscs
- 2
- Transferred by
- Charlie Miller
- Type
- sound
- Venue
- Charlotte Coliseum
- Year
- 1995
comment
Reviews
(47)
Subject: The Roar
Corrina is nice, the jam after Mathilda is truly special. As good as the U->S->F + M jam is, for me the great take-away from this show happens out of drums. Space is really beautiful, haunting and melodic, with hints of darkness. And then the Days Between, the best ever.
One last point: people have asked how he could have flubbed so many lyrics given the Teleprompters. Those were only for new songs, not the classics, and apparently never worked very well.
Subject: Hornsby Post-Member Guest Appearance #7: 3/23/95
Solid Unbroken Chain to open the second set. Short and fast(ish) Scarlet. They sort of zip through it. It's not bad, though there's practically no first verse vocals. Transition is jammy, jazzy(ish), heavy-Vince salsa-laden from around 1:30-4:30. Fire is longer, some mumbles and is largely uneventful. Garcia sounds fine, don't get me wrong, as he does for pretty much the whole show. Highlight of the set and show is definitely the Mathilda->Drums/Space->Days Between. Good Loving set closer is also a rollicking version. High energy 95er, no question, Hornsby on lead piano throughout is a treat. The Weight encore is their final performance of the song (last played 46 shows prior on 7/31/94).
Subject: Why all the negativity?
Subject: Best of '95 (if that the case, I'd hate to hear the worse)
Things don't change with Garcia in the 2nd set. He is so low in 'Unbroken Chain', I can only presume there was a band meeting that said we need to reign in Jerry, he's all over the place. If they did Its a good thing, cause 'Unbroken Chain' is as beautiful a song as they have ever written and he is so sloppy. After that its back to '95 business as usual as Garcia destroys Scarlet Begonias' 1st verse. His solo is okay which seems to bring him outta his nod. When Horsby chimes in on his grand for the segue to FOTM things seem to be looking up. Garcia's vocal are okay here but Hornby just can't harmonize worth a shit. He was a nice fit when he played the piano, but stuck out like a sore thumb when he harmonized with Jerry or Bobby. Then its back to the flubing & bad harmonies for the second verse. Then Garcia begins to lumber around the fret board, but he does attempt to pick it up, not well, but he does manage to play what resembles a guitar solo. It bears no resemblance to the band that played it when they entered the decade. Matilda would be nice if Garcia wasn't on a nod. This 1930's tune would have been a great accent for JGB in the late Eighty's. Again Garcia is revived by his bandmates for a rousing climax that leads into the saddest highlight in Dead history. A two minute jam that Garcia can't even stick around for. Thank god for drums & space, or this show would have completely sucked. Well it does completely suck, provided you saw a show prior to 1990 & didn't do ketamine. Since I have nothing more positive to say about this show, I'll leave it on Space, which is nice. Bruce runs the ship here & the Grand Piano is a welcome return for me. One last note, The Days Between would be really beautiful here, if it didn't sound like Garcia was literally on deaths door.
Subject: Highlight total = 3 minutes
I am going to start by making a general statement about Mississippi through Loser. It aint that bad. As a matter of fact, some of it sounded downright inspired. Wang Dang was done very well, and I don’t even like that song…CRS was not too shabby either. Easy Answers made me want to sit down with Bobby and ask him why he insisted on playing this song and killing any and all emotion/momentum and really anything and everything the show had going for it. Every time I hear this tune I wonder what the hell they must have been thinking looking out in the crowd. The response could not have been that great…But hey, what the hell do I know. I never saw it done live thank god…So many Roads kinda stuck with me as it was very well done, but then it hit me that Jerry can pull off any ballad, at almost any time. The second set was really where the highlight(s) lie, which would basically be a reasonable to not so good Scarlett>Fire (but the jam is kinda off or something)and the Matilda jam>Jam. Bruce was en fuego during Matilda and during that 3 minute Jam. I really enjoyed it. Best part of the show for sure. The rest of the second set was dogshit. I use that term only in the most loving fashion. As in “listen to Jerry right now, he sounds like total dogshit”.
All in all this show was much more tolerable than many others we have heard. Of course, again, I have a little bias here. Also, I think Bruce always brought out the best in jerry onstage. I have a vid of a JGB show with Bruce(Pure jerry Hampton I think) where Jerry is smiling so much at Bruce during the entire show it’s a little unnerving almost. Kinda like Jerry wanted to bang him or something…Ehh, anyways I do not recommend this show however I think the 3 minute Bruce jam after Matilda is worthy of a So many Roads type of release. Instead of giving this show a grade like I always do, I am going to grade this one like a “core class” at college…Pass/Fail…..This shows Passes, but barely. I pass it because I really think they gave it all they had this evening(very sad). Check out the 3 minutes between Matilda and Drums, you wont be sorry!
Subject: Scarlet Begonias
Subject: BRUCE HORNSBY ....... Unbroken Chain - Scarlet - Fire on the Mountain
Subject: for 95' this is a five star show
It almost seems like some people like getting on these Vince era boards just to say "the dead sucked after 91". I don't think this is an objective way of reviewing. We must compare to the quality of other shows during the period.
Bruce Hornsby sits in on PIANO the entire show. Not corny accordion, not for a few songs, the entire show. And as a previous reviewer stated, yes his presence certainly stimulated the band and overshadowed Jerry.
Best Easy Answers for sure (not too hard, most of the time it sounds like a Steely Dan nightmare).
Mathilda and post Mathilda Jam are sick. Obviously the show would not have been as special without Bruce, but that Jam before drums with the drummers and Hornsby is super upbeat. I use it to work out to.
All in all, Charlotte 95 sounds better than most other shows from the last year of Grateful Dead. If anybody show me a better solid performance especially the second set jam, please let me in on that.
Subject: Awful
Yeah they played Unbroken Chain, but really, this band was a shell of its ... former glory by this time.
Subject: Perhaps you should listen again, babyblu.
Subject: "Bruce Hornsby and the grateful dead"
Subject: Charlotte, NC
Subject: Arrived fashionably-late...but just in time!
Subject: did not sit in my seat
Subject: .
Overall, a decent show for the times, and probably the best show of 3 in charlotte. After this one we were off the road, unitl RFK for our last 2 shows ever.
Man do I miss that feeling of hair standing up on the back of your neck when the lights went down and the crowd ROARED ..
Subject: What a Night
Subject: Your oxygen is ready
Confession: I stopped going in 1992 because the performances were increasingly ... lame and boring.
Subject: Aw well
Subject: Solid Show
Subject: Personal Bias
Subject: Wicked...
Subject: NOT old and in the way
Subject: only show i ever attended-
Subject: Diamond in the ruff?
Subject: A pretty good show...
First off, I consider myself to be a pretty discerning listener, so when I say that this is a pretty good show, I'm basing that on a limited experience.
I decided to check out this show because of Bruce's presence, and because on deadbase.com it is rated the best show of '95 and the 34th best show of all time.
I had a hard time believing that any show from '95 could be that good. I'm not sure if this one really is, but I think it should be in the top 50.
Most of the highlights of this show have already been pointed out, so I will just mention a one thing: Loser.
This song is really exceptional. I would actually rate this my favorite version of Loser. And before I heard this show, my favorite version of Loser wasn't one by the Dead at all, but one by Bruce Hornsby. What makes this version special is how Jerry's ragged voice underscores the desperation of the character's plight. It's the same quality which lends such incredible power to the best versions of Standing On The Moon and Days Between.
In general, the performance is average to good, ranging to very good on some songs (Loser, Days Between, Good Lovin'.)
What led me to write this review in the first place was the mini-dispute between factman and bootleg43. Regarding his comment on Bruce's contribution, yes, he doesn't elevate the show to legendary status, what he does do is contribute tasteful and creative paino fills that are more reminiscent of early '70s Keith Godchaux than anything else. Elswhere in his review he asks "If this version of Scarlet>Fire is so good why didn't they pick it for 'So Many Roads'?" This is rather a ridiculous question, since they had over 200 versions to chose from. But if you read the liner notes for So Many Roads, you'll find that they picked the version they did because it is an excellent showcase of Jerry's midi-guitar playing (which this version definitely isn't.) As to whether or not this show is deserving of a vault release, I would say, not on its own, but only if it was combined with another show, say March 19th.
Subject: flashback
Subject: could not believe it
Sound quality on this is excellent - another great charlie miller upload.
Subject: Good for 95
Unbroken is great fun of course. Scarlet>Fire. Hmmm, if this had been the setlist pre-drums pre-92 ... I would have wet my pants. As it is, it's just sad. Listening to Jerry blow a full HALF the lyrics to Scarlet. Well, in another age, that was merely unheard of, it's always Bobby who flubs the lyrics. (did he have the TPT this tour?)
And his guitar playing. Admittedly, I've always been partial to the Wolf and the Tiger, but Rosebud, and then later Wolf Jr.--talk about wimpy tone--yech. From 91 on (although there were many excellent shows through summer 92 imho), Jerry's tone was just kind of lame. But more so, the guy just sounds lost, like there's no confidence in his playing at all. Listening to him in the transition in Scarlet-Fire--the guy gives up lead time in a part which, in the best versions of this song-pair, is first and foremost, all about Jerry. He just plays these little rhythmic figures behind Bruce the whole time. Not that that's not appreciated, too, but c'mon, this is frickin Scarlet-Fire for God's sakes!!
The other interesting thing about this era is how the rest of the band is so clearly trying desparately to make up for the chasm caused by Jerry's checking out show after show. Pair that band with a Jerry up to 91, and you could have several nice tours under your belt. Oh well.
In a way, listening to this just reminded me how sad 93-95 made me. The shows I attended were fun, but not necessarily for the music. Would've loved to have seen an Unbroken, but as RFK was my last run, nothing more appropriate to end it all on than a perfectly played Brokedown. Little did we know.
Subject: best of 1995?
Subject: my first dead show
Subject: My 2nd
I like this recording and think this is the best show of 95 so I give it a 5
Listening again is bringing back memories. I recall that security was kept constantly occupied by ksids jockeying to get in front of the stage and being chased off to keep the aisles clear. A woman standing on her seat with her husbands head buried under her dress also kept getting warnings. Think she climaxed during 'mathilda'.
Subject: A little better than your average 95
I have to say the sound quality is absolutely first-rate. I wrote somewhere that I wouldn't give a 95 show more than 2 stars. I'll make an exception and give this one 3 (5 for the sound quality and 2+ for the performance -- mostly on the strength of BH). I can't give it the 4th star, though, not even with that Days, let alone 5, which is reserved for 9/20/90, 9/21/72 or similar. I am no IAGKHB-head!
Subject: Amazing Performance
Subject: Yeah, they are on that night
Subject: Musical evolution at its finest
The first set begins with some classics - Mississippi Half Step, Wang Dang Doodle, Cold Rain & Snow, El Paso, and Loser. The 1st set ends with some newer songs. Easy Answers, which is perhaps my favorite Weir song and then a powerful So Many Roads.
Unbroken Chain opens the 2nd set followed by Scarlet > Fire. We are then greeted with an extended version of Corrina into the rarely played Matilda. There is a pre drums jam with just the drummers and keyboard(s). Drums > Space provides the usual mind bending escape. The boys segue out of Space into The Days Between, Hunter's masterpiece in the eyes of many. Days melds into Good Lovin' and to finish the night we are treated with a classic encore, The Weight.
This concert features a unique set list that highlights several newer songs with other classics. The sound quality is top notch, enjoy!
Subject: Can we be objective?
<<>>
First, Hitler instructs you to ignore me. You must obey, though he doesn't seem altogether sure of himself by saying everyone else "seems" to agree with him.
<<>>
Yes, do that and you'll see most of my reviews are suggestions to avoid those particular shows. Nowhere in any of my reviews are mandates that someone MUST DL or spend a minute of their own time listening to something because I (capital I) SAID SO!!!! And where in my reviews is there some magical revelation that I'm a "newbie"? Brah, it's 2006. The Grateful Dead haven't toured in 11 years. Unless you're 16 years old, nobody on here is a "newbie". However, I'd love to read more evidence from you of my "newbieness".
<<>>
And your "experience" has motivated you to tell everyone who reads your pep rally for this show that their lives are not complete without this show in their collection. If I had to choose, I would trade off my Dead show experiences over having my ego take over my perspective of the quality of concerts I've attended. And I'm not trying to lead anyone anywhere, Adolf. We know it's sarcasm because if people here know what's good for them, it's to listen to YOU, not me.
<<>>
Good grammar, brah. Did I hurt your feelings? I wasn't aware that only your opinion was permitted in this review section. The title of my review reflected my points in the body of it. Did you bother to read my review at all? You certainly didn't bother to answer any of the questions I posed to you. I began by saying I wasn't attacking you, and the review reflected that.
Tell you what, post your review on Philzone.com's message board and see how fast the piranhas are disemboweling everything about you. And while you're at it, take some more cracks at me.
As of 1:18 PM EST, my update is over. Last version of review begins in the next paragraph.
First off, this is not an attack on 'bootleg43'. It's more an attempt to suggest stepping away from the aspect of sentiment in how you rate the show. Big red letters at the bottom, right above "Submit review", ask for issues of the show and sound quality. Personally, I try to make my rating a composite of both, whether I attended the show or not. Whether I felt it was a clunker or a must-have. I can certainly identify clunkers, given that 58 of my 68 shows were post-Brent.
That said, if this first set was mediocre and short with no real highlights, how can you possibly assert that it is the show of 95, shreds and should be a vault release?
If this Scarlet-> Fire is so SCORCHING/RIPPING/SHREDDING, why wasn't it the one GDP put on the So Many Roads box set?
Jerry blows some vocals and who cares? The only consistent lines he sang in Scarlet were following "The Wind In The Willow". He didn't bother with 2/3 of the lyrics to the darn song.
Bruce Hornsby's presence at this concert does nothing to change the fact that Jerry was horribly inconsistent by this point. It does not elevate this show to some legendary status.
My review is only the 20th overall paying any attention to this concert. The average concert from 90-91 features at least that many reviews, deserving or not.
Personally, I wish I could have seen Bruce play piano with The Grateful Dead that one time on that spring tour, but I think I would have walked away with the opinion I'm expressing now.
Take your pick from any of the Unbroken's AFTER this one, in my opinion. The harsh truth is take any of the versions from Phil's bands or either 2003 or 2004 Dead tours. Jerry simply wasn't up to the task of that song's arrangement. The first minute or two of this version sounds quite obviously like Bruce is either learning the song on the fly, or mentally rehashing it as he went. I'd give it 50/50 odds. If his only desire was to play the song live, he could have done a sicker version with his own band.
Put on the objective ears.
Granted, the Days Between with REAL piano sounds, even if wielded by Vince for half of the song or more, was a gem. But was there another choice for an encore given that Bruce hadn't played piano with them for 3 years?
Jerry was flat. If Bruce wasn't stepping on something, he was carrying Jerry the rest of the time. There actually are better shows from this year, and even this tour.
It IS worth having for the novelty of Bruce finally being allowed to play piano instead of accordion again. It's still from the last year of Jerry performing.
The truth can set you free.
The best part of this particular download is that it comes care of Charlie Miller, who has not yet let me down, and also accounts for this show gaining the rating of 3.
I must also add that this show is far more worth having FOR FREE than to have to pay to download it, if they ever get around to that mammoth project.
Frank
Revision as of 12-2:
Oh, the horrible irony of writing my last review 4 days before doomsday, of a show that certainly is NOT worth paying for, and reading it over again now. More freedom-setting truth is on the way in the posting area very soon.
Subject: some highlights in this lowlight
Subject: Not bad at all...
Subject: just a sidenote
Subject: vince blows
Despite the obvious flaws and there are a bunch, this is a fun show with some great work by BH
Subject: Phantom Ships
I never got to see the dead, but I had this tape and found it like 6 months ago, to find this lovely sounding copy on here so I could hav immeresed myself into the space>days has been a dream for me, the tears are surely welcomed
Subject: Audio or SBD
Subject: Jerry's Last Stand
The second set opened and one could feel confusion, and then recognition overtake the Coliseum. Unbroken Chain had only JUST been broken out in Philly a few days before. And here it was in all it's glory. Phil's vocals are flawless. The jam section only hints at what could have been had they played this in the 70's or had Jerry cleaned up his act and lived a few more decades. Regardless, this is THE Unbroken Chain of all the live versions. I've heard them all and know of what I speak. The crowd was deliriously happy after they finished Unbroken Chain and they chose to follow it with a SCORCHING/RIPPING/SHREDDING Scarlet/Fire that brought the entire crowd back up to it's feet in a hurry. Yes, yes... Jerry blows some vocals. It's not the tape... it's the show... BUT WHO CARES?!?! Jerry plays as if every note is a fight for his life and he is winning the battle... intense, passionate, confident, one feels as if he could have gone on forever. This man is possessed! Bobby's rythm shreiks and fills are truly outstanding on Fire, in particular. Hornsby seems to drive the band. Ya just gotta own this in order to truly understand. Corrina is haunting and one of the best versions I've ever heard. Mathilda is the only song of the set that I don't really care for but it serves it's purpose as a great lead into the drums. And let me not forget to mention the piano/drums trio-ette (is that a word) leading into the drums. It rocks! Even the Space portion of this set is do-able. And as good as the first 4 songs of this set were, The Days Between which follows Space is a melancholy thing of beauty. Jerry's vocals are soulful and his playing inspired thus turning a slow song into something beautiful and inspiring. Good Lovin to close the set is about as inspiring as most Bobby songs to end concerts... short and sweet nothing spectacular but usually nothing horrible either. The Weight encore was a nice, different, unususal choice.
OK kids... this is THE show of 95 and must be owned. Your lives are not complete without it in your collection. The sound quality is tasty. The show itself just shreds. I even go so far as to nominate this as a Dick's Picks or a Vault release. And this recomondation comes from a guy who WAY prefers 60s/70s Dead to almost anything from the 80s or 90s. Ya just got to trust me on this one.
Subject: PURE MAGIC
bruce even did a frankenstein impression at one point, pointing to vince suggestively beforehand... that night was so great...
Subject: Fun show to be at
excited.Good 1st set solid,cold rain & snow was ... rel="ugc nofollow" target="_blank">hot.2nd set started right and the smoker there
was a 25min scarlet/fire.Then for an encore they play 1 of my favorite covers the weight.
Subject: unbroken chain
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